EU plant-based censorship and Brexit? What Am171 could mean to the UK
Since Brexit finally came to pass, there’s been uncertainty within the UK plant-based movement about whether it’s worth engaging with vegan, environmental, and animal-welfare issues in Europe. The plant-based dairy censorship petition is a great example of why EU issues still matter.
Although the UK has left Europe, and strictly speaking EU legislation is not applicable in the UK, Europe remains the UK’s largest trading partners. As such, the UK market will still need to adapt to whatever restrictions are put in place in the EU.
The looming plant-based dairy censorship legislation (which ProVeg and many others have opposed) is a perfect example of how EU legislation will impact the UK market. For starters, if the legislation is passed, all UK plant-based producers will need to take into account that phrases such “contains no dairy” or “creamy texture” might be banned from any packaging of products that will be exported to Europe.
The same goes for a tweet or an advert mentioning that a product causes, for example, “half the carbon emissions of dairy butter”, even though this is backed up by scientific data. Bizarrely, the amendment could even prohibit plant-based foods from using images of their own products on packaging.
As Greta Thunberg Tweeted last week, “We are in a climate- and ecological emergency. What should we do? I know! Let’s ban plant-based-dairy-from-displaying-allergen-info,-being-sold-in-cartons,-using-images-of-their-own-products-and-explaining-the-climate-impact-of-food. That’ll fix it.”
If passed, Amendment 171 will not only conceal information from consumers, but it will also hinder urgently needed innovation. On the whole, it would be a massive reversal of the work done so far by both the UK and European market to push plant-based eating to the next level. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, and the UK hosting this year's climate convention, COP26, the UK should lead by example. The UK should demonstrate its commitment by making it easier for consumers and producers to do the right thing, and increase consumption of plant-based products through logical and environmentally-friendly labelling and marketing regulations.
If you haven’t already signed the plant-based dairy censorship petition, you can do so here. And if you have, tell your friends, family, and coworkers about it. But regardless of the outcome of this ludicrous amendment, one thing is clear: plant-based is not going anywhere!
Jasmijn de Boo, MSc, DipEd, MRSB has worked internationally in the field of animal protection, education and veganism since 1999. She founded and led the UK political party ‘Animals Count’ from 2006 to 2010 (rebranded ‘Animal Welfare Party’, led by Vanessa Hudson). Jasmijn was the CEO of The Vegan Society from 2011 to 2016; and CEO of Save Animals from Exploitation (SAFE) in NZ for one and a half year. Jasmijn joined ProVeg International’s Executive Team as International Director in April 2018 and became Vice President, ProVeg International in May 2020. She supports the ProVeg offices in South Africa, Spain, UK, Netherlands, Poland, Germany and US, and the China programme, and she oversees the expansion to India, and Belgium, as well as the international Communications team and Grants programme. Jasmijn turned vegetarian aged 12 after witnessing terrified pigs transported in a truck on their way to the slaughterhouse, and she became vegan in January 2003 after meeting Andrew Knight (now husband). Jasmijn and Andrew enjoy hiking, running and dancing to stay fit and to get away from their desks.
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